Through a Child's Eyes
by AndromedaAiken
Summary: Even as a newborn, she could sense the love around her. She was lucky to have been born to her parents and she felt it.


**A/N: This story is loosely based on a dream I had when I was napping this afternoon. The 'Gillian' bit was based on the dream and after I woke up, the bits of the story formed in my head. It's an entirely fluffy piece though ;). Enjoy and please leave reviews/comments! They're much appreciated! Thanks!**

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><p><strong>Gillian<strong>

You were the first person to hold me gently and lovingly in your arms. As my eyes adjusted to the blaring bright lights which I was not accustomed to, you spoke to me and soothed my crying.

I slept in a white plastic transparent box-like thing with no cover next to you a lot and a lot of people came to visit you. The first time we were alone, I wouldn't stop fussing even after being fed. You rocked me and sang to me. Then suddenly, you talked to me.

"You know darling, I sometimes wonder if it was a good idea to have you at my age. I've wanted you for so long and you only chose to come now, huh? Nevertheless, I'm grateful you came into my life and I'm going to try my best to take care of you."

As my whimpers simmered, I stared into her blue eyes. I felt calm, loved and protected.

She continued, "Yes darling, I'm your mommy."

I snuggled as deep as I could into her arms and she started tearing. "I love you so much sweetheart."

She thinks I don't understand what it is like to be me but I know that love is when she speaks to me and holds me tightly in her warm, loving arms and I know that once I look into mommy's blue eyes, my world is perfect.

That is my last thought as I drift off to sleep.

**Cal**

The next person I saw was a person with shorter hair than mommy who looked a little scruffy. I yelled as I was transferred from the safety of mommy's arms into his. However, his words seemed to have a calming effect just like mommy's did.

One morning as I woke up, he was right next to me greeting me.

"Good mornin' angel. Slept well? You'd better 'ave. You kept yer mum up for so long last night, little tyke."

His manner of speaking was fascinating. It sounded so different from mommy. I stared at him blinkingly.

"You are very lucky, you know? You were born to the best mum you could ever have in the whole world. She loved you even before you could remember you existed and she'll let you know it. I'm a little different yea? I'll call on ya if yer lyin' and I'll know it. Maybe one day you will be able to as well."

As this juncture, he picked me up and I screamed because it felt cold.

"Oh I'm sorry darlin', dad'll wrap yer up so you're nice and toasty again. Then we'll sit here with a cuddle until mommy comes in. What do you say to that?"

I decided that was a good idea. He spoke differently to mommy did but I knew he loved me too. As he sat in the rocking chair with me on his chest, the rocking gradually sent us both to sleep.

**Emily**

"Emily!" I heard. "Would you like to hold her?"

I felt another set of arms hold me. This set of arms felt a little unsettling and I didn't feel safe. I started crying and after mommy took me, I felt calm again.

A hand pushed abit of the blanket on my face aside and a pair of brown eyes peered in. This face broke into a huge grin as she gushed, "Oh my god, you're so cute! Dad, I can't believe you and Gillian made her."

Daddy laughed, "You bet on it, Em. Yer dad makes the best kids. And you couple that with Gillian, this kid is going to be out of this world."

I felt mommy's arms shake as she laughed. If mommy was happy, so was I. I didn't know how these people contorted their facial muscles to laugh so I did it in the only way I knew how to – I wiggled my arms and legs.

Soon I heard mommy speak again, "Alright Em, I'm going to go prepare to feed her now. Will you watch her for abit?"

Mommy lay me down in my bed and kissed me before saying, "Mommy'll be back soon, darling."

Once the door closed, I felt Emily pat me which felt really nice.

"You know, I never really expected I would have a little sister at this age but I'm really glad I did. It's too bad I'm away at school a lot and can't spend as much time as I want to with you. But you know, your mommy and daddy love you so much and somehow, I think you are the thing that is finally going to bring them together. Why they just don't want to admit to each other the entire truth behind their feelings even with you is beyond me but I suppose, that's adults for you. Kids like us don't understand them. We think what they do is funny."

She tickled my cheek and I turned my head towards her finger. She giggled just as I saw mommy appear again.

**Cal and Gillian**

As I got older, mommy and daddy were the two people I saw most. They would bring me to this place with numerous lights and many people walking around. Many of them would stop to coo and play with me until daddy chased them out of the room.

One time as daddy was bouncing me on his lap (an activity I really enjoyed), he took out a photo of mommy and him. He showed me the photo and I stared at it.

"See that, Ella? That is a picture of yer mum and myself. This was taken a few years ago but yer mum doesn't look any different. She is just as beautiful as the day I first knew her. I love her, Ella. I really do but yer dad's bit of a coward when it comes to admittin' his feelings. Daddy's hurt yer mum before but she's stuck to me throughout that. Now that's love, isn't it? Now we have you. You are the best little thing in our lives right now and daddy couldn't have asked for any more."

As I laughed, he bounced me more up and down on his lap. "Yer like that, don't ya, Ella hmm? Now, daddy needs you to be still for a moment while I do something yea?"

He positioned me so that my back lay against his thigh as he tied a string around my neck. I felt something but I couldn't see it.

"Now darlin', mum'll be back soon and she'll soon see this. When she comes in, no screamin' and no yellin' alright?"

I blinked at him. He grinned at me as he brought me close to his face and we rubbed noses. I gurgled happily just as mommy came into the room.

"How are we all today?"

Daddy replied, "Just peachy. Ella blows bubbles when she gurgles but well, that's not new."

I heard mommy's laugh as daddy jiggled me more. Mommy came towards us to hold me. As she picked me, her eyes widened and filled with tears. She held whatever was weighing down on my neck and stared at daddy.

"Cal…"

Daddy took her face in his hands as he said seriously, "Marry me, Gill."

"Yes…oh my god, yes!" I heard mommy cry. Then daddy cradled mommy's face somemore as he brought her towards him then they joined. Emily was right. Adults do funny things! Why do they join their faces so?

As they parted, mommy laughed and smacked daddy lightly on the chest. "Cal! You tied the engagement ring on our daughter's neck? How could you?"

Daddy grinned as he said, "It doesn't hurt her, luv. And besides, what better way to propose to you than with the best thing that's happened to us so far?"

As he finished, he removed the string from my neck and slipped a golden circle onto mommy's left finger. "I love you, Gill. And this ring is a symbol of my promise to you and Ella."

Mommy was rendered speechless as their faces joined together again. After that, mommy bounced me on her hip and asked, "How did you like being a ring-bearer, Ella? Did daddy bully you when he tied the string on your neck?"

I giggled as my hands reached out to touch mommy's face. Mommy was really really happy today. Her eyes were sparkling like the stars in the "twinkle star" song they kept singing to me.

A few years later when I was in daddy and mommy's bedroom, I found the ring daddy once tied around my neck. There were words carved into it. It said, "Never doubt I love. Cal."

I didn't understand what those words meant and went downstairs to ask daddy. The only word I knew was "Cal", which was daddy's name. As I entered the kitchen where he was merrily mixing his spices to make his chicken tikka masala, he saw me and grinned.

"Hello darlin'! Where's yer mum?"

"In the shower." I replied. Then he caught sight of what he saw in my hand.

"Isabella Claire Lightman! Why do you have yer mum's ring on you?"

"I want to know what it means!"

Daddy laughed as he came towards me and gathered me in a big squashy hug. "Why don't you wait for yer mum to finish her shower then ask her what it means."

I grinned and went back to mommy and daddy's room and I saw mommy at her dressing table.

"Mommy?"

She turned to me, "Yes Ella?"

I held out the ring to her and pointed at the words. "What does this mean?"

Mommy's eyes softened and she sat me on her lap. "The words Ella, are a promise that daddy made to me when we got married. One day, you will find a man who will love you just as much as daddy loves mommy. Only then, you'll truly understand what those words mean."

I looked at mommy, who was smiling at me. "You aren't telling me everything mommy. That's a deflection!"

Mommy's eyebrows raised, "Who taught you that?"

"Uncle Loker and Auntie Torres, of course! They say I'm daddy and mommy's little genius."

She rolled her eyes. "Of all things to teach you Ella, they had to teach you that. Dinner time is soon. Why don't you run downstairs and tell daddy that I'll be down soon as I dry my hair."

I placed the ring back onto her table and as mommy put it back on, she said, "I love you, darling."

Looking into those blue eyes that have been my source of happiness and my safe haven ever since I could remember, I grinned as I dove into her arms. "I love you too, mommy."

Patting my head, she gestured me off as I ran downstairs to inform daddy about dinner.

That night at dinner, I heard mommy telling daddy. "Cal, you're exposing Ella to too much! She even knows what a deflection is! Loker and Torres are spoiling her."

Daddy laughed as he spoke, "You can't blame them darlin'. Ella's a little genius. With a mum and dad like us, why wouldn't she be? She's inherited our gifts."

Mommy sighed, "She seems entirely too precocious for her age. Promise me you won't start teaching her about the science until she's old enough to understand it?"

Nodding as he took mommy's hand, "Yes dear. We made that promise but we can't stop her from picking things up."

As they cleared the dinner table, mommy and daddy suddenly appeared with a cake. Placing it in front of me, they both kissed me as they said, "Happy 7th Birthday, darling."

In that moment, I felt what could only be explained as "inexplicable happiness".


End file.
